Environmental Health & Safety

Effective April 11, 2022, face coverings will be strongly recommended while indoors
for those who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose when eligible,
and will remain required for anyone who is not up to date on vaccinations. 
Staff/Faculty may request a face covering from EH&S. Students may request a face covering from The Well.

Research

EH&S Guidance and Resources for the research community.
Return to Campus Protocols
  • Protocols | Find out what you need to know before returning to work/campus, including training, symptom tool, and more.
Supervisors
  1. Authorization. Provide authorization for each employee to report onsite. 
  2. Worksite specific plan. Must develop own COVID-19 Worksite Specific Plan to share with your employees/lab groups. In some cases, the Worksite Specific Plan may be routed to campus oversight committees for review and approval prior to return to campus. For Human Subjects Research, review Human Subjects Risk Matrix, create a new Worksite Specific Plan and be sure to complete the Human Subjects Research section, and subject a new or modified IRB application to irb@ucr.edu. 
  3. Positive case? Refer to the COVID-19 Response to suspected COVID-19 cases: Guide for Department Leads, Supervisors, Chairs". Download the quick reference for Supervisors Infographic.
For All Returning Employees | COVID-19 Prevention Plan Campus Guidance

COVID-19 PREVENTION PLAN

The campus has developed general guidance, which all employees should review.

Prior to your return, your supervisor must share their Worksite Specific Plan with all their employees, and you must review and acknowledge.

Download the When To Return guidance infographic. 

For additional information, visit Research Ramp-Up Workgroup.

Decontamination 
Ventilation

We are continuously monitoring the recommendations and guidance from the WHO, CDC, and American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Based on the recommendations, Facilities is taking the following steps: 

  • Maximizing outside air to increase air circulation +1 hour before and after normal operating hours so more fresh air is being brought in the buildings 
  • Continuing to update HVAC air filters to the maximum allowed rating for each building system in occupied buildings

We remind you that the most effective way to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus is vaccination. For those that are unable to be vaccinated, the use of a mask, hand washing and physical distancing greatly reduce the potential for infection.

Filtration

Facilities Management maintains air conditioning and ventilation systems and replaces air filters on a schedule throughout the year. Filtration further mitigates risk of transmission in buildings with recirculated air. As air moves through a building's HVAC system, air filters trap and collect large and small particles such as dust, allergens and microorganisms.

For more information on Facilities Services HVAC and Ventilation information, visit the Facilities Services HVAC FAQs.

Transmission Reduction Efforts
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the COVID-19 virus appears to spread human-to-human through respiratory droplets coming from an infected person. Based on public health guidance, the key transmission reduction factors include:

  • social distancing,
  • limiting occupancy,
  • practicing good personal hygiene, and
  • utilizing face coverings

As part of the public health guidance, Facilities Services will disinfect high-touch areas including elevators, door handles, common areas and restrooms. We have made disinfecting kits available to departments and hand sanitizing stations are located at the entrance of each building. A map locating sanitizing stations can be viewed by clicking here. 

HVAC VENTILATION FAQ'S

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